111. Dr. Stella Safo, Debunking Stigmas about HIV and Advocating Equitable Healthcare for All
Release Date: 03/28/2023
128. The Quiet Epidemic with Special Guest, Ally Hilfiger
Made Visible
I moderated a panel discussion at ReelAbilities Film Festival on The Quiet Epidemic, an eye-opening film about Lyme disease that highlights the emotional toll of patients’ journeys with the illness and the scientific facts of the disease. During the panel I spoke with the film’s Emmy-winning producer Chris Hegedus, who helped the directors bring this topic to light, 19-year-old Julia Bruzzese, a patient with Lyme disease featured in the film who bravely shared her story because she knew it could help other patients, and Julia’s dad, Enrico Bruzzese, who has been her caregiver and...
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127. Ilana Jacqueline, Fighting the War Against Medical Gaslighting
Made Visible
Author and patient advocate Ilana Jacqueline experienced medical gaslighting from a young age. At age 19 she was diagnosed with Hypogammaglobulinemia, a rare immunodeficiency. While navigating young adulthood with an invisible illness, Ilana also faced lots of medical gaslighting, encountering doctors who shamed her out of seeking care. Ilana has devoted her career to patient advocacy. Through her work, as well as public speaking, social media, and writing books (Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness, and the upcoming Medical Gaslighting: A Guide to Help You Recognize...
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126. Melissa Coulier, Finding a Holistic Approach to Lupus and Life
Made Visible
Melissa is a functional fitness instructor, photographer, and Lupus warrior. After living her whole life in pain, Melissa was finally diagnosed with Lupus in 2006. She began a variety of treatments that helped combat her symptoms, but the physical and mental toll of pain and treatment left Melissa in a place of exhaustion, depression and self-pity. A few years later, Melissa shifted gears and adopted an approach to managing her pain that included nutrition and lifestyle changes, as well as medical observation when needed. Melissa also shifted her mindset, creating obtainable goals, avoiding...
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125. Akiva Zablocki, Helping Families with Hyper IgM Find Community and Care
Made Visible
Akiva Zablocki is a former healthcare consultant and the founder of the Hyper IgM foundation. When Akiva’s son Idan was just eight months old, he was diagnosed with Hyper IgM, an incredibly rare genetic mutation that severely compromises the immune system. After three years of diligent research and advocacy, Akiva and his wife were able to obtain a life-saving bone marrow transplant for Idan. Through this experience, Akiva connected with other Hyper IgM patients and their families all around the world, as well as many doctors and immunologists working to help those patients. This growing...
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124. Melissa Aives and Danielle Scaramellino, Navigating Invisible Illness With My Best Friends
Made Visible
Join me for a very special episode where I sit down with my best friends, Melissa Aives and Danielle Scaramellino, as we reflect on a life-changing moment eleven years ago when I underwent a life-threatening surgery, introducing my friends to a world of uncertainty about my health. Despite our close bond, they had never witnessed this side of me, leading to an adjustment and redefinition of our friendship. Discover the power of vulnerability, the importance of asking for support, and the lessons we've learned about adapting, prioritizing health, and building a strong support system. This...
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123. Jamie Nicole, Creating Support for the BIPOC Community Living with Autoimmune Diseases
Made Visible
Jamie Nicole is a highly regarded certified health coach dedicated to helping individuals achieve optimal health through complementary medicine and holistic health lifestyle changes. Her passion for health and wellness was sparked when she witnessed the transformative power of holistic health in her own life. After being diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and later fighting for a narcolepsy diagnosis, Jamie became aware of the lack of representation and access to support for BIPOC individuals with autoimmune conditions. Determined to make a difference, she started engaging in...
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122. Kate Milligan, The Power of Determination, Community, and Asking Questions
Made Visible
Kate Milligan is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, speaker, storyteller, and founder of 1 Girl Revolution: a multimedia platform dedicated to highlighting the authentic stories of everyday women and girls who are changing the world through their lives. Diagnosed with Job’s Syndrome at a young age, Kate faced years of uncomfortable symptoms that doctors couldn't identify or treat. However, with her mother's unwavering advocacy and self-directed research into dietary solutions, Kate found her path to improved health and confidence. Join her as she explores the power of determination,...
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121. Dr Alex Truong, Highlighting the Unaddressed Long-COVID Symptoms and Trauma
Made Visible
Dr. Truong is a pulmonary and critical care trained physician with 12 years of experience as assistant professor at Emory Midtown Hospital. Since August of 2020, he and Dr. Adviteeya Dixit have been running the Emory Post-COVID clinic where they care for patients with lingering symptoms from their COVID infection. Dr. Truong’s passion for helping people get the care they deserve and recover from post-COVID physical and mental symptoms is undeniably inspiring. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic, he further explores the distinctions between long COVID, active...
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120. Marina Khidekel, Designing an Anxiety-Soothing Product that Hugs Back
Made Visible
Marina Khidekel created Hugimals World, a TIME Best Inventions- winning line of weighted stuffed animals that "hug you back" to ease anxiety and bring calm. Prior to becoming a founder, Marina was a health & wellness journalist. She previously worked at Arianna Huffington’s workplace well-being enterprise SAAS startup Thrive and held senior editorial roles at Women’s Health, Glamour and Cosmopolitan. She openly discusses the strategies she employed to manage her mental wellness while launching her brand. While starting a business inevitably presents numerous difficulties, the experience...
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119. Erica Domesek, DIY expert opens up about hidden mental health struggles
Made Visible
Erica Domesek, founder of P.S. - I Made This and ELD Creative discusses mental health struggles, creative inspiration, and the support systems needed to navigate tough times. Erica reflects on her eating disorder in college and her experience with postpartum depression, ADHD and anxiety, emphasizing that recovery and support may look different for everyone. She talks about her journey from the fashion industry to creating her DIY lifestyle brand and appearing on The Today Show, Rachael Ray, The Martha Stewart Show, E! News, and many others to encourage people to get creative with the...
info_outlineIn this episode, Dr. Stella Safo, a board-certified HIV primary care physician and the founder of Just Equity For Health, talks about healthcare redesign and equity. She discusses her personal journey into healthcare and how her commitment to social justice led her to found her company. She also dives into the stigma surrounding HIV and chronic illnesses, and the work she's done to advocate for equitable care delivery across all sectors of medicine. Join us as we explore Dr. Safo's journey to becoming a healthcare advocate and her dedication to making healthcare accessible for all.
For more information about Dr. Stella Safo and Just Equity For Health, visit our website at madevisiblestories.com/podcast
Please note: This podcast is intended to provide information and education and is not intended to provide you with a diagnosis or treatment advice. You should consult with a licensed or registered healthcare professional about your individual condition and circumstance.
Support for this episode comes from Credo. Credo was founded in 2015 in San Francisco. Credo currently operates a robust online business, along with 12 stores across the country. The company’s trailblazing brand standard, The Credo Clean Standard, is actively building a cleaner, more sustainable, more ethical beauty industry. Credo’s owned brand portfolio includes Exa Beauty, Follain and EleVen by Venus Williams SPF. Visit bit.ly/madevisiblecredo to start shopping.
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